Japanese police are under pressure to keep opposing groups of demonstrators apart.
Those for the Yasukuni Shrine... and those against.
The Yasukuni Shrine in central Tokyo is seen as a symbol of Japan's former militarism, and that's why it's controversial.
As well as remembering fallen soldiers the shrine honours 14 Japanese leaders convicted as war criminals by an Allied tribunal after World War II.
Visits by Japanese officials are politically sensitive, especially on August 15, the anniversary of Japan's defeat in World War Two.
Local media say Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is unlikely to visit this year as he works to boost Sino-Japanese relations.
Conservatives like these nationalist demonstrators say it's natural to honour those who died for their country.
But opponents say it represents an aggressive past that does not fit with current geopolitical relations.
There were small scuffles between the shrine's supporters and police at Saturday's demonstrations.

Reuters, the news and media division of Thomson Reuters, is the world’s largest international multimedia news provider reaching more than one billion people every day. Reuters provides trusted business, financial, national, and international news to professionals via Thomson Reuters desktops, the world's media organizations, and directly to consumers at Reuters.com and via Reuters TV. Learn more about Thomson Reuters products: